Side-dressing apparatus for a grinding machine

ABSTRACT

A side-dressing apparatus for a grinding machine having a chuck means for journaling workpieces transversely of a plurality of parallel grinding wheels, comprising a plurality of dressing members mounted at a precise angle to said grinding wheels on a holding member journaled on said chuck means, and transverse to the grinding wheels, said dressing members being provided with feeding means including adjusting knobs to modulate the rightward and leftward movements of diamond dressers set in slidable members engaged in the top ends of said dressing members, and means to measure the dressing amount to be applied to the sides of the grinding wheels, said measuring means having measuring arms, operation rods for said measuring arms, movable members moved by said rods, resilient members to hold said movable members normally in a neutral position, feelers operated by said movable members, and measuring gauges, whereby easy, efficient, and safe side dressing of said grinding wheels may be accomplished with accurate results and consequent increase in production efficiency of grinding.

United States Patent Ota [54] SIDE-DRESSING APPARATUS FOR A GRINDING MACHINE [72] Inventor: l-liroshi Ota, Kariya, Japan [73] Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha, Kariyashi, Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 65,931

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 25, 1969 Japan ..44/81082 [52] U.S.Cl. .,..l25/llDF [51] Int. Cl ..B24b 53/12 [58] FieldofSeai-ch ..l25/ll;51/5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,972,343 2/1961 Dunn ..125/11 1,483,748 2/1924 Sanford ..l25/ll UX Primary Examiner-Harold D. Whitehead Attorney-Berman, Davidson and Berman [57] ABSTRACT dressing amount to be applied to the sides of the grinding wheels, said measuring means having measuring arms, operation rods for said measuring arms, movable members moved by said rods, resilient members to hold said movable members normally in a neutral position, feelers operated by said movable members, and measuring gauges, whereby easy, efficient, and safe side dressing of said grinding wheels may be accomplished with accurate results and consequent increase in production efficiency of grinding.

l I Claims, 2 Drawing Figures WENTEHJUH smz SHEET 2 3,667. 445

INVENTOR /-//RO$H/ 07/) ATTORNEYvSY APPARATUS FOR A GRINDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dressing apparatus for a grinding machine, and more particularly to a side-dressing apparatus for simultaneously side-dressing a plurality of grinding wheels such as used for grinding crankpins or journals of crankshafts.

2. Description of the Prior Art Side-dressing of grinding wheels, in the devices heretofore in use, has been realized by a dressing member mounted on a shaft journaled on a chuck means of the grinding machine, the dressing member being set with a single diamond point dresser. In the case of grinding crankpins or journals of crankshafts, however, the plurality of grinding wheels required have been arranged in a row with predetermined intervals. Thus, the single conventional dressing member available has resulted in very poor efficiency since it is necessary to dress both sides of each grinding wheel one after another and only a single side at a time. In other words, two processes per grinding wheel have been required. F urthennore, the adjusting knob for setting the infeed amounts of the diamond dresser has been positioned on the side of the dressing member, jutting out from the dressing member side. This is dangerous for the operators who must touch the grinding wheels during adjustments, and it is sufiiciently accurate only when a narrow space exists between the knob and the grinding wheels.

SIDE-DRESSING SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The most important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a side-dressing device comprising a plurality of side-dressing members adapted to be interposed in the spaces between a plurality of grinding wheels disposed in a row, said side-dressing members being set with a diamond dresser on each side, the diamond dressers being movable toward and away from the sides of the grinding wheels and the infeed-amounts of the diamond dressers being easily modulated by adjusting knobs provided on the upper surfaces of the dressing members, whereby both sides of the grinding wheels can be dressed simultaneously and with increased efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sidedressing device, having the above described characteristics, wherein a measuring means ,is provided to determine the required dressing amount, the dressing of the grinding wheels sides being performed as the infeed amount of the diamond dressers is being adjusted against said dressing amount,

whereby, over dressing is prevented and accurate dressing is realized.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a side-dressing device, having the above described characteristics, wherein said measuring means has operation rods and said adjusting means for the infeed-amount of the diamond dressers has adjusting knobs both of which are positioned on the upper surfaces of said dressing members, and gauges for both said means are disposed with their indexes upward so as to render easy reading thereof, whereby easy, accurate and safe operation of said means is realized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and it is to be understood that many modifications within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the exact structural details shown and described without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing an apparatus embodying three similar dressing assemblies, assembly (la) being shown in plan, assembly (1b) being sectioned to show the inside details along lines A and B in Figure 2, and assembly (is) being sectioned to show a plan view taken from line C-C in Figure 2.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Figure 1; looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Now referring to the drawings, a holding member 1 is journaled in chucks 2,2 in its proper relative position and appropriately phase indexed and parallel with the common axis (not shown in the drawings) of grinding wheels 4,4. A plurality of dressing members 3,' 3, 3 individually identified as explained above by reference characters (1a), (lb) and (1c) are secured at the base ends thereof on the holding member 1 with predetermined spacing and at right angles to the holding member 1 and the axis of the grinding wheels 4,4. When it is desired to dress both sides of the grinding wheels, the number of dressing members 3 utilized is one more than the number of grinding wheels. For example, three dressing members 3, 3, 3 are positioned to dress two grinding wheels 4,4 in Figure 1. Similarly, four dressing members would be provided for three grinding wheels, five dressing members for four grinding wheels, and so on. However, it is possible to dress opposite sides of two grinding wheels 4,4 by a single dressing member 3, for example, the dressing assembly (lb) as shown in Figure 1.

All the dressing assemblies are constructed alike, and, therefore, the complete details of structure and functions of only one dressing assembly is hereafter described by reference to the three separate detail views (la), (lb) and (1c) in FIG. 1 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2.

A dial gauge 6 is held by a member 5 secured on the upper surface of the dressing member 3. The tip of a feeler 8 of the dial gauge 6 (see Iband FIG. 2) continuously engages a bolt 7 threaded in a movable member 9 swingably mounted on the dressing member 3 about a vertical pivot pin 10. Opposed resilient members 12 and 14 hold the movable member 9 in its neutral position, the resilience of members 12 and 14 being adjustable by bolts 11 and 13 respectively and which are threaded in the fixed member 5 of the dial gauge 6 and in a second member 20 secured on the upper surface of the dressing member 3. A through hole 35 is provided vertically in the center of the movable member 9 and a pair of stop bolts 22,22 are threaded into member 9 to' radially oppose each other from the opposite sides of the hole 35. The stop bolts 22 are thus adjustable to limit the free space in hole 35. A measuring arm 16 is pivotally mounted near the center of the bottom surface of the dressing member 3 about pivot pin 31, and an operating rod 15 is secured in the-base end of the measuring arm 16 to extend vertically through hole 36 provided in the dressing member 3 and through the coaxial hole 35 in member 9. The top end of rod 15 juts out from the upper surface of the movable member 9 through the hole 35. The other end of the measuring arm 16 is formed in a fork shape (see 1c) to hold contactors 17 and 18 against the sides of the grinding wheels at the side edge of each fork branch. Applying force to the operating rod 15 rightward in FIG. 1 urges the right stop bolt 22 within the movable member 9 to the rightward, which in turn rotates the movable member 9 to the right about pivot pin 10 as a fulcrum overcoming the resilience of members 12 and 14 which normally hold member 9 in its neutral position.

Movement of member 9 moves the operating rod 15 and tums the connected arm 16 and the contactor 17 on the left fork branch to the left until the contactor touches the right side of the adjacent grinding wheel 4 to arrest further movement. The described rotational or spinning movement of the movable member 9 urges the feeler 8 through contact with the bolt 7 to operate the dial gauge 6 to indicate a certain value indicative of the position of the right side of the grinding wheel. When the operation rod 15 is moved to the left, the forked end of the measuring arm 16 turns in the reverse way to that described, and the contactor 18 touches the left side of an adjacent grinding wheel 4 to cause the dial gauge to indicate a value indicative of the position of the contacted side of the grinding wheel. Thus, the indication of the dial gauge 6 is regulated by the stop bolts 22,22. The structure described above yields measurements of the actual and initial positions of the sides of the grinding wheel 4.

The structure for side-dressing the grinding wheels is described as follows. Provided at the top portion of the dressing member 3 is a guide slot 37 with openings on both sides, in which a member 23 is engaged for sliding to both the right and the left. Two diamond holders 24a and 24b are horizontally installed in the sliding member 23 extending from one side near to the other and spaced vertically apart. The holders 24a and 24b are tipped with diamond points 19,19 and fixed by bolts 26a and 26b so as to protrude from member 23 and face the opposing sides off the grinding wheels. The reference numeral 27 designates stop bolts positioned to touch the internal base portions of the diamond holders 24a and 24b so as to retain the holders in proper positions. A guide groove 25 is indented in the central portion of the upper surface of sliding member 23, at an inclination to the longitudinal center line of the dressing member 3. Engaged in the groove 25 is a boss 34 projecting downwardly from a block 32 which is installed to slide forwardly and rearwardly along a central bore parallel the longitudinal axis of the dressing member 3 above the guide slot 37. Movements of the boss 34 along the axis of the dressing member 3 when carried by block 32 in its forward and rearward movements and the relative inclination of the guide groove 25 produce leftward or rightward movements' of the sliding member 23 within the guide slot 37. This causes either of the diamond points 19,19 to jut out of a side of the dressing member 3 leftward or rightward a distance or amount herein termed infeed.

The forward and rearward movements of the block 32 to set the infeed of the diamond points 19,19 is controlled by leftward and rightward turns of an adjusting knob 21 which is secured on the end of a feed screw 33 threaded into the base end of the block 32. The feed screw 33 is held by the dressing member 3. The adjusting knob 21 is so positioned on the upper surface of the dressing member 3 as to have its axial center and the axis of feed screw 33 parallel to the longitudinal center line of the dressing member 3. Knob 21 is provided with circumferential index numbers to indicate the distances moved by the sliding member 23 in proportion to the turning angles of the knob. Coolant nozzles 29,29 are positioned near diamond points 19,19 on both sides of the dressing member 3, and connect with a coolant passage 30 to jet coolant fluid onto the contacting portions of the diamond points 19 with the grinding wheels 4.

Described below is the operation of the above described embodiment of the invention. First, a setting gauge 28 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 is placed against a side of the dressing member 3 and the operating rod is manually moved leftward or rightward. For example, in FIG. 1 (1c), the rod 15 is moved rightward to cause the left contactor 17 of the measuring arm 16 to touch the setting gauge 28. The setting gauge 28 has appropriate dimensions to determine the required width or the spacing needed for a grinding wheel 4, and the proper dressing amount of the side of the grinding wheel is indicated when the contactor 17 touches the gauge 28. The mentioned movement'of the operation rod 15 urges the stop bolt 22 to the right to cause, in turn, the movable member 9 to turn pivot pin 10. The rightward turn of the member 9 operates the feeler 8 of the dial gauge 6 through the bolt 7, the index needle of the dial gauge 6 moving until'thecontactor 17 touches the setting gauge 28. The index number of the dial gauge 6 at this point shows the desired dressing amount to be applied to the side of the grinding wheel 4. This particular number is recorded for future reference, or the zero index of the gauge 6 is set to the index needle point so as to be arrested at the proper angle of turn. Upon the completion of the setting process, when the operation rod 15 is released, the member 9 turns back to its normal position by force of the resilient members 12 and 14. Consequently, the rod 15 returns to its neutral position and the measuring arm 16 also goes back to its normal position central of the bottom surface of the dressing member 3.

The next step is to turn the knob 21 to move the block 32 forward. This moves, in turn, the boss 34 of the block 32 along the inclined guide groove 25 of the sliding member 23 and forces the member 23 to move leftward until it juts out of the left side of the dressing member 3. This causes the left diamond point 19 to touch the setting gauge 28, preventing further turning of the knob 21 at which point the index number of the knob 21 is recorded. This index number also shows the dressing amount to be applied to the side of the grinding wheel 4 just as does the index number of the gauge 6 previously described. Then, the knob 21 is reversed to move the diamond point 19 away from the side of the grinding wheel 4 by the retraction of the sliding member 23. Now then, the grinding wheels 4,4 are forwarded to move between the dressing members 3 and the knob 21 is again turned until the diamond point 19 touches the side of the grinding wheel 4. At this moment, setting index number on the knob 21 indicated the position of the grinding wheel before it is dressed. If, then the knob 21 is turned slowly while the grinding wheel rotates until the first recorded index number is reached, the diamond point 19 will cut the side of the grinding wheel 4 to the required width. During each cutting by the diamond point 19, the grinding wheels 4,4 are forwarded toward and retracted from the dressing member 3 by an hydraulic cylinder not shown in the drawings. Each cycle of forwarding and retraction of the grinding wheels 4,4 causes the dressing of the grinding wheel sides by the infeed amount set by knob 21 during the cycle. Normally, even when the cutting, or dressing, is achieved to the point when the knob 21 reaches the aforementioned index number, the grinding wheel still is not dressed up to the full required dressing amount due to abrasion of the diamond point 19. Upon completion of the indexed amount of dressing, therefore, the operation rod 15 is again moved to cause the contactor 17 to touch the dressed side of the grinding wheel 4. If the index needle of the dial gauge 6 then points to the same index number as previously measured against the setting gauge 28, the side of the grinding wheel 4 is dressed to the full required dressing amount. If the index needle of gauge 6 shows a number less than that for the full dressing amount, the side of the grinding wheel 4 is further dressed in one or more cuts using knob 21 to move the diamond point in the manner previously described until the full dressing amount is achieved.

With the side-dressing device of the invention, two grinding wheels as illustrated in FIG. 1 can be dressed in two operations as above described. In the first operation both sides of one grinding wheel and one side of the other grinding wheel are dressed simultaneously. In the second operation the remaining side of the latter grinding wheel is dressed by, for example, the right diamond point 19 of the central dressing assembly (1b) shown in FIG. 1. Obviously, a greater number of grinding wheels than two can also be dressed in two operations.

While the present invention has been described and illustrated by relation to a specific embodiment, it should be understood that the novel characteristics of the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A side-dressing apparatus, for a grinding machine having a workpiece supporting means and a plurality of grinding wheels occupying planes parallel to one another, comprising a holding member mounted on said workpiece supporting means, at least one dressing assembly secured on said holding member to extend parallel to the sides of said grinding wheels and adapted to be disposed between said grinding wheels when the latter are moved toward the holding member, said dressing assembly including an elongated bar-like dressing member, a sliding member mounted on said dressing member for lateral and opposite sliding movements perpendicular to the planes of the grinding wheels, a pair of diamond dressers respectively set in opposite sides of said sliding member and projecting beyond the sides of said dressing member, a block slidably supported in said dressing member to move longitudinally therealong, a boss on said block being slidably engaged in a groove formed in the upper surface of said sliding member, said groove being inclined laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of said dressing member, a feed screw threaded in said block for moving the block longitudinally along the dressing member, and an adjusting knob fixed to said feed screw andmounted on the upper surface of said dressing member for turning the feed screw.

2. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjusting knob is provided with circumferentially spaced indicia.

3. A side-dressing apparatus, for a' grinding machine having a workpiece supporting means and a plurality of grinding wheels occupying planes parallel to one another, comprising a holding member mounted on said workpiece supporting means, at least one dressing assembly secured on said holding member to extend parallel to'the sides of said grinding wheels and adapted to be disposed between said grinding wheels when the latter are moved toward the holding member, said dressing assembly including an elongated bar-like dressing member, a sliding member mounted on said dressing member for lateral and opposite sliding movements perpendicular to the planes of the grinding wheels, a pair of diamond dressers respectively set in opposite sides of said sliding member and projecting beyond the sides of said dressing member, adjusting means disposed on the upper surface of said dressing member and operatively connected to said slinging member to regulate the extend of projection of said diamond dressers from the sides of the dressing member, an arm pivoted to said dressing member to swing laterally with respect thereto, said arm being provided with a pair of contactors disposed on opposite sides for engaging the sides of said grinding wheels, an operation rod connected to said arm and projecting above the upper surface of the dressing member, said operation rod upon being moved swinging said arm to one side or the other and causing said contactors to move to touch the sides of said grinding wheels, and a gauge disposed on the upper surface of said dressing member and operatively connected to said operation rod to measure the dressing of the sides of said grinding wheels by sensing the movement of a contactor on said arm when moved to engage a dressing template or a grinding wheel relative to the movement of said operation rod so as to indicate a required or actual dressing of a grinding wheel.

4. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said arm is pivoted below said dressing member and swings from side-to-side in a horizontal plane, said connected rod passing through an opening in the dressing member.

5. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said arm terminates in a fork having two branches at the end of the arm adjacent the grinding wheels, said pair of contactors being located respectively on said branches.

6. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said gauge for measuring the dressing is operatively connected to said operation rod by a movable member swingably mounted on the upper surface of said dressing member, said movable member having a vertical aperture through which said operating rod passes, opposed stops in said aperture for engagement with said operation rod when the rod is moved, and actuating means on said gauge extending therefrom into engagement with said movable member.

7. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said stops are screws which are adjustable with respect to said aperture to regulate response of the gauge engendered by movements of the operation rod.

8. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said movable member is normally kept in a neutral position by resilient means installed on the upper surface of said dressing member.

9. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said resilient means comprises a pair of spring members disposed on opposite sides of said movable member and held thereagainst to exert adjustable forces by screws.

10. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said movable member is substantially flat and square and swingable about a vertical pivot disposed centrally and near one side, said spring members being aligned and offset to the one side of the pivot, and said actuating means of the gauge being'ofiset to the other side of the pivot.

11. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said aperture in said movable member is offset longitudinally with respect to the vertical pivot about which the movable member swings. 

1. A side-dressing apparatus, for a grinding machine having a workpiece supporting means and a plurality of grinding wheels occupying planes parallel to one another, comprising a holding member mounted on said workpiece supporting means, at least one dressing assembly secured on said holding member to extend parallel to the sides of said grinding wheels and adapted to be disposed between said grinding wheels when the latter are moved toward the holding member, said dressing assembly including an elongated bar-like dressing member, a sliding member mounted on said dressing member for lateral and opposite sliding movements perpendicular to the planes of the grinding wheels, a pair of diamond dressers respectively set in opposite sides of said sliding member and projecting beyond the sides of said dressing member, a block slidably supported in said dressing member to move longitudinally therealong, a boss on said block being slidably engaged in a groove formed in the upper surface of said sliding member, said groove being inclined laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of said dressing member, a feed screw threaded in said block for moving the block longitudinally along the dressing member, and an adjusting knob fixed to said feed screw and mounted on the upper surface of said dressing member for turning the feed screw.
 2. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjusting knob is provided with circumferentially spaced indicia.
 3. A side-dressing apparatus, for a grinding machine having a workpiece supporting means and a plurality of grinding wheels occupying planes parallel to one another, comprising a holding member mounted on said workpiece supporting means, at least one dressing assembly secured on said holding member to extend parallel to the sides of said grinding wheels and adapted to be disposed between said grinding wheels when the latter are moved toward the holding member, said dressing assembly including an elongated bar-like dressing member, a sliding member mounted on said dressing member for lateral and opposite sliding movements perpendicular to the planes of the grinding wheels, a pair of diamond dressers respectively set in opposite sides of said sliding member and projecting beyond the sides of said dressing member, adjusting means disposed on the upper surface of said dressing member and operatively conneCted to said slinging member to regulate the extend of projection of said diamond dressers from the sides of the dressing member, an arm pivoted to said dressing member to swing laterally with respect thereto, said arm being provided with a pair of contactors disposed on opposite sides for engaging the sides of said grinding wheels, an operation rod connected to said arm and projecting above the upper surface of the dressing member, said operation rod upon being moved swinging said arm to one side or the other and causing said contactors to move to touch the sides of said grinding wheels, and a gauge disposed on the upper surface of said dressing member and operatively connected to said operation rod to measure the dressing of the sides of said grinding wheels by sensing the movement of a contactor on said arm when moved to engage a dressing template or a grinding wheel relative to the movement of said operation rod so as to indicate a required or actual dressing of a grinding wheel.
 4. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said arm is pivoted below said dressing member and swings from side-to-side in a horizontal plane, said connected rod passing through an opening in the dressing member.
 5. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said arm terminates in a fork having two branches at the end of the arm adjacent the grinding wheels, said pair of contactors being located respectively on said branches.
 6. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said gauge for measuring the dressing is operatively connected to said operation rod by a movable member swingably mounted on the upper surface of said dressing member, said movable member having a vertical aperture through which said operating rod passes, opposed stops in said aperture for engagement with said operation rod when the rod is moved, and actuating means on said gauge extending therefrom into engagement with said movable member.
 7. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said stops are screws which are adjustable with respect to said aperture to regulate response of the gauge engendered by movements of the operation rod.
 8. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said movable member is normally kept in a neutral position by resilient means installed on the upper surface of said dressing member.
 9. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said resilient means comprises a pair of spring members disposed on opposite sides of said movable member and held thereagainst to exert adjustable forces by screws.
 10. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said movable member is substantially flat and square and swingable about a vertical pivot disposed centrally and near one side, said spring members being aligned and offset to the one side of the pivot, and said actuating means of the gauge being offset to the other side of the pivot.
 11. A side-dressing apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said aperture in said movable member is offset longitudinally with respect to the vertical pivot about which the movable member swings. 